Girdle



Oct. 20, 1953 J. B. CONNORS GIRDLE Filed May 19, 1953 INVENTOR 69v 6mm,

,4 TTOkNE Y Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTL orr cs.

Joseph B. Connors, Jersey City, N. J. Application May 19, 1953, Serial No. 355,955

1 This invention relates to girdles. The functions of a girdle are of course well understood. It is employed to support and control the abdomen, thigh and buttock areas. In so doing, it applies a certain tension to these areas which often necessarily restricts natural movements of the wearer and involves varying degrees of discomfort. There have been many attempts to remedy'or minimize such disadvantages, such as the introduction of girdles fabri-' cated of elastic material throughout. While such an expedient tends to relieve uncomfortable tension, it correspondingly sacrifices desired control.

With the foregoing'in mind, I have devised a girdle which provides a high degree of comfort and yet provides an unusually high degree of support in precisely those areas where support is most needed. Thus, in the form shown, the body itself of the girdle is predominantly of an elastic material. Specific means are employed in order to modify the elasticity at certain areas and to retain it at other areas. The areas of full elastic retention eliminates such binding or constriction which undesirably affects freedom of movement of the legs or buttock areas Whether walking or sitting. On the other hand, and in' order to provide efiective control over specific areas, the invention provides a pair of substantially arcuate panels which are sewn to the rear of the girdle in such a manner as to modify and reduce the elastic characteristics thereof. The two areas 2 of modified elasticity serve to suppress, flatten and mold the two buttock sections independently of eaohother and without rendering the garment uncomfortable. The arcuate panels, being crossed, further provide a mostimportant double strength supporting area at the small of the back, thus producing a high degree of back support, a feature which is of particular importance in corsets or girdle garments.

The provision of the specially formed panels as above described, further lends a degree of support to said body areas directly below the waist. These areas are technically termed the glutius maximus areas which, in many women; are excessively fleshy and require firm control.

The girdle of the instant invention is further formed in such a way that it will remain effective for longer periods of time than conventional girdles. This is attributable to the provision or retention of the horizontal stretch areas in the garment where control is not required. These areas take up strain or tension during Walking or sitting and accordingly relieve the inelastic, support areas from such strain. As a result, the

9'Claims. (Cl. 2-37) garment tends to maintain and retain its required control and support characteristioseven after long periods of use. I

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a girdle constructed according to the instant invention; Figure 2 is a rear elevational View thereof; Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the garmerit turned inside out;

Figure a is aplan view of one of the supporting panels; I I

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 66 of Figure The front section [0 of'the girdle body is of conventional construction and may assume conventional form. The rear section ll comprises a pair of panels which are connected through a central seam l2. The rear section is basically of elastic material which is predominantlystretchable horizontally as indicated by the arrows is of Figure 3. Actually, the rear panels embody some degree of vertical stretchability but this is a rcuate quite limited, generally being about of the horizontal elasticity. Essentially, however, the rear panels stretch horizontally to provide maxi mum leg action'as will be hereinafter set forth. In any event, the vertical stretchabilitylis not critical and may be less or equal to the horizontal stretchability.

, Secured to the rear section of the girdle body are a pair of substantialy arcuate, twin panels [4 and Ma. In a satisfactory embodiment of the girdle, the twin panels were formed of. satin Lastex with one way stretch. Thus, each panel is of one way stretch resilient fabric and is dis" posed so that the direction of stretch is diagonally of the garment body as indicated by the arrows l5. Considering the rear section ii of the-body as of substantially rectangular outline, the panel 14 is set andsewn in diagonally with its upper, narrow end 16 adjacent the top right end of the girdle body (as viewed in Figure 3) and its'botthat the bottom, wider portion I! of control panel I4 is formed with a relatively straight inner edge l9 and an arcuate, bowed outer edge 20.

A girdle constructed according to the above description will provide numerous advantages fulfilling the objectives set forth herein. Thus, the one way stretch control panels modify the over-all elasticity of the garment body in accordance with specific control requirements. The girdle body.a.rea.between the wide portions of the control'panels remains-horizontally stretchable. This provides freedom of walking action inasmuch as this section will permit horizontal stretch to accommodate such an action. It :will further render the girdle more comfortable during sitting.

On the other hand, the controlpanels l4 and Ma exercise particular control functions upon the buttocks where horizontal stretch isi of :lesser desirability. The bias disposition of control .panel stretch, which is indicatedby the arrows Ii, reduces the horizontal stretch of the garment where the control panelsare disposed. As the garment is put on by the wearer, it stretches horizontally where it is-permitted to do so. The same tendency to stretch horizontally-exerts a stressupon the control panels which efliectively depresses them inwardly so as to confine, mold,

and support the-fieshy'buttock areas in highly desirable fashion. In the form shown, the actual direction of stretch of the panels is 30 from horizontal as indicated by the'arrows'l5.

Section l8 which comprises the crossed portions of both-control panels is of particular benefit in the-garment. This diamond shape area affords; an extreme degree of 'supportfor the lower back or spine which isconsidered to be of great :-value in reducing back fatigue ingmany'persons.

This results from'the stretchingvof thegarment in various predetermined directions when it is put on by a wearer in accordance with the arrows shown in Figure 3. Thus, the top,.;narrowsections and the lower, wider sections all act to produce a .cumulative depressing efiectupon the diamond-shaped central section; l8. This action in conjunction with the horizontal stretch. of the girdle body itself, produces the superior support characteristics of this diamond-shapedsection.

The narrow, top end sectionsvlfiare further of particular benefit. The fleshy tissueinthe .area of the glutius maximus most ofetenrequires support and flattening and such top endsections serve; thiswpurposelg-It will be noted that such .-.topendsections. may=flareoutto a slightly wider .form if desirerlin-ordertoencompass a. somewhat larger area.

-It will be:seen from:;the foregoing that I have provided a girdleembodying elasticity where it is required and:-modifying such elasticity. in a 'particular mannerso as to provide specific areas with a large degree of support and control. Thus, (the control panels l4 and Ma which, in the form shown, are setin with a bias stretch and :which reduce the .over-all horizontal stretch of the girdlebody by approximately, 50 per cent, effecctiveiy suppress; flatten and mold the buttock areas without involving binding or constriction of leg movements. It will be recognized, however, that the panels may be set in with a different direction or type of stretch or indeed may be. non-stretching. and they will. still exhibit wmanyv advantages as set forth herein. Such variations in the stretch of the panels may be dictated by the requirements of. various .figures and'iigure problems.

What is claimed is:

1. A girdle comprising a rear section of elastic material and which is capable of horizontal stretch, and a pair of crossed, elongated control panels connected to and overlying said rear section, each of said control panels extending substantially from a top corner area of said rear section to an opposite bottom corner area thereof, and said control panels crossing each other along 10. a centerline of therear. section so as to form a doubly reenforced areaaiong-thewenter line of said rear section.

2. A girdle having a body portion comprising nan elastic rear section which is capable of horizontal stretch and a pair of arcuate, crossed -:panels connected to and extending across said rear section,- each of said panels respectively ex tending from opposite upper sides of said rear sue section and across the garment body to respective- 1y opposite lower sides thereof, each of said panels being of substantially one way stretch. elastic material, the direction whichis BOFfrom the horizontal direction of stretch of said rearsection and in opposite directions in respect-to each other, said control panels crossing each other along a center lineof said rear, section was to provide a doubly reenforced control panel area at said center line.

3. A girdle according toclaim 2 and wherein each of said control panelshas a wider bottom end relative to its top end,-said wider and being adapted to support the buttock areas of a-wearer, said top end being adapted'tosupport'the glutius maximus areas of a wearer.

4. A girdle according -to claim 3 and .wherein said wider areas have a substantially straight inside edge and an arcuate outer edge.

5. A girdle having a body portion comprising a rear section of elastic material and which is capable of horizontal stretch and a pair of crossed, elongated,- control panels connected to and overlying said rear section each of said control panels having anarrower topv portion relative to its bottom portion and extending substantially from atop ,cornerarea of said rear section. to. an opposite bottom corner thereofaandsaidcontrol panels crossing each other at their upper. portions along a central line of the rear sectionso as to form a doubly reinforced. control panel area overlying and connected to-saidrear section.

6. A girdle according to claim 5-and wherein each of said control panels is of substantially oneway stretch elastic material the direction of which is at an angle to the horizontalv direction -of stretch of said rear section and in-opposite directionsin respect to each other.

7. A girdle according to claim 6 and ,wherein each of said control panels are sewnv along. their entire edges to said rear section.

8. A girdle having a body portion comprising an elastic rear section which is capableof horizontal stretch and a pair of elongated control panels connected at their upper ends. to respectively opposite upper sidesof said rear section and extending across the rear sectionto respectively opposite lower sides thereof, each of said panels being of stretchablematerial and crossing each other adjacent their upper ends andbeing sewn to each other along their crossing edges so as to provide a doubly reinforced control panel area where they cross each other.

9. A girdle comprising a rear section of elastic material and which is stretchable in a horizontal direction, and a pair of control panels secured to and overlying said rear section, said control panels being of predominantly one way stretch material and the direction of stretch thereof being diagonally of the rear section and at an angle to the horizontal direction of stretch thereof, each control panel being set so that its direction of stretch is approximately 30 from horizontal, the control panels being elongated and crossed so as to extend in mutually opposite directions, the crossing of'said panels being adjacent their upper portions.

JOSEPH B. CONNORS.

Number Name Date Weber Aug. 30, 1932 Borneman Sept. 19, 1933 Loftus et a1 Aug. 28, 1951 

